


pick it up and run with you

by Blackgate Transfer (ConjurerofWords)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Book Club AU, M/M, as well as mention of old geezer obi-wan, phasma and finn also appear, they're snotty teenagers and they have book club okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 12:18:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8844730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConjurerofWords/pseuds/Blackgate%20Transfer
Summary: Ben goes to book club and tries not to drop dead at the thought of seeing Hux again.





	

“So, uh, you got your book? For book club?”

“Yep.”

“And your notes? For book club?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And your declaration of love for Armitage...”

“ _Uncle Lando, please.”_

Lando lets out a loud laugh as Ben slumps in his seat. He’s seriously regretting this.

“For the millionth time, I’m not in love with Armitage,” Ben huffs, pushing a lock of hair out of his face.

“Oh, no, no, you just send me a thousand and one text messages per day telling me about the beautiful painting Armitage did in art class, or the really good argument that Armitage won during English, or that time Armitage presented a PowerPoint on the ineffectiveness, meanness, and general...what did you say, suckiness? Yeah, the general suckiness of Snoke, who was promptly fired.”

Ben blushed, remembering the day Mr. Snoke had been fired. All of the students _and_ faculty had cheered.

“I just think he’s interesting, okay? It doesn’t mean I _like_ him.”

Lando sighed as he turned into the library’s parking lot. Finding a spot, he turned off the engine and turned towards Ben.

“Keep lying to yourself if you have to, but I’m always in the corner pretending to be interested in Old Ben’s tall tales if you need a wingman.”

Ben laughed at the mention of his namesake. Old Ben, as he was now called, worked at the library and had a habit of getting into long stories about his old days as a hippie. Half of them sounded too outrageous to be true (“one time, I took acid with my professor, and we killed a bunch of aliens”), but everyone indulged him anyway.

Ben and Lando exited the vehicle and spotted Phasma, one of Ben’s school friends at the library entrance. She waved them over, and Ben was stunned to realize that she was talking with Finn, a classmate of theirs.

“Ben! Here for book club?”

Phasma didn’t actually have to ask Ben if he was at the library for book club, but she did anyway, because she had a clipboard and sharp-looking pencil and she liked things to be orderly.

“Uh, yeah, I am. Anybody else coming?”

“Well,” Phasma walked inside with Ben, scribbling on her clipboard as she did so, “I got Finn and Rey on here. I think Poe said he wanted to, but he was working on his mom’s car so,” Phasma made a vague shrugging gesture.

“And...Hux?”

“Present.”

Two bookshelves over, Armitage Hux stood clutching a thin poetry anthology. His posture was, as usual, strict and focused, and he seemed unimpressed with his surroundings.

“Did you have any particular interest in seeing me today, Solo?”

Ben swallows and watches Hux walk away, not even getting a chance to respond.

“If you ask me,” Phasma mumbles under her breath, “guy’s a grade A dick. Calling people by their last names? _God_ , who does that?”

Ben nods absentmindedly, thinking “ _He_ does that.”

Phasma and Ben continue walking until they reach a room in the back where book club meetings are held. Once inside, they find Finn and Rey waiting, sniffing suspiciously.

“Finn! I see you brought Rey with you. I’m glad you made it to—“

“I’m pretty sure someone was smoking weed in here.”

Phasma’s face freezes. She adjusts her glasses and flips over a page on her clipboard. Ben notices that it’s blank, but he supposes from afar, she really does look like she’s reading something.

“Some of the high school volunteers from last week were caught smoking in here. Incidentally, that’s about the same time Mr. Kenobi let us use this room for book club. If you have any complaints, I’m sure Mr. Kenobi’ll have a story about his old days with his hippie brotherhood as a response.”

Finn was silent, partly because he didn’t really have anything else to say, but mostly because he _really_ didn’t want to talk to Mr. Kenobi again.

Hux shows up soon after everyone else has taken their seats, carrying a binder and a pen, along with his book.

“All right,” Phasma began the discussion, tossing her clipboard on the table, “so, this month’s book was _Genius of the Youth_ , by some dick-headed philosopher who only goes by Snoke.”

Everyone nodded. Snoke really was a dick.

“Ben, what did you think of it?”

“Well,” Ben picked up his copy, glancing at it before setting it down, “it’s full of a bunch of bullshit that I’m pretty sure essentially amounts to indoctrinating kids.”

“Hell yeah,” Finn mumbled.

“And it kind of sounds like he’s basing the accomplishment of all his dreams on the success of his children.”

“Kids who, if I may, _really_ need to disown him,” Rey this time.

“So, basically, this book is shit.”

Suddenly, Hux cleared his throat. He opened the binder and uncapped his pen, underlining something on the page.

“As you all know, this is my first time attending book club. Father suggested I join when he realized what book was to be discussed. Snoke is...a favorite author of his.”

Ben felt like his stomach was turning in on itself.

_Great. I’ve already insulted his tastes._

But before Ben could feel the full power of anxiety take over him, Hux spoke again.

“I, on the other hand, think he’s a fucking prick. And this book,” Hux held out the book now, looking at with disdain, “is complete and utter hogwash.”

Ben’s head shot up as Hux launched into a violent and profanity-laced diatribe against _Genius of the Youth_. At times, the other book club members cheered or even clapped, in support of a point Hux made about the book. Ben was always the loudest.

After forty-five minutes of applause, swearing, and table-slamming, Hux sat down once more, looking satisfied.

“Well,” Phasma began, stretching, “that concludes book club.”

Everyone left their seats both mesmerized and exhausted. Only Ben was still as eager as when he’d arrived. He followed Hux out of the room, then hesitating, drifted to Lando in the corner. Obi-Wan was still talking, though he seemed to be mumbling to himself more than saying anything to Lando.

“Hey there, kid. Club done?”

“Yeah.”

“What about your _friend_ , Hux? Did you chat with him?” Lando leaned against the wall, not so subtly jerking his head in Hux’s direction.

“We’re not... _friends_. And no, I didn’t talk to him. He kinda gave a speech though. It was cool.”

Lando sighed. Straightening up. He grabbed Ben’s collar and dragged him over the bookshelf Hux was glaring at.

“Hello there. You’re Armitage Hux, right?”

Ben curled his toes inside of his sneakers and blushed from his head all the way down. He had a feeling this was going to end badly.

Then again, he _always_ had a feeling something was going to end badly.

Hux arched one eyebrow and turned towards Lando slowly.

“I am. Is there something you want?”

“Well,” Lando cleared his throat, relaxing his grip on Ben’s collar, “Ben here tells me you made quite the king’s speech today.”

Hux said nothing, eyes flickering from Lando to Hux.

“I think I’ll leave you two boys alone to talk. Ben, I’ll be in the car.”

Ben turned around and stared at Lando’s back in horror.

_this is bad this is bad this is ba—_

“...Next month?”

Ben jumped, turning back to face Hux.

“What?”

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Hux said, rolling his eyes, “I said what about next month?”

“Oh. Um, I don’t really think Phasma decided.”

Hux grunted, grabbing Ben’s arm.

“Whoa! What are you—“  
“I found an autobiography that I thought to be suitable. I want you to take a look at it.”

As Ben tried to keep up with the brisk pace, Hux’s hand slipped lower until his hand and Ben’s were clasped together.

Ben blushed harder and thought, _Maybe it’s not a complete disaster._

Hux was the last person to leave the library, five minutes before closing. He held his binder under his right shoulder and his newly-borrowed book in his left hand. Finding his father’s vehicle, he smoothed back his hair just a little and entered.

“Did you use all the talking points I gave you?”

“Yes, Father.”

Brendol nodded approvingly. Starting the car, he noticed something unusual about Armitage’s demeanor.

“Armie, what’s got you all light and fuzzy?”

Armitage snapped to attention, his face returning to its usual flat affect.

“Nothing. There was a burr in my shoe.”

Brendol murmured a response, backing out of his parking space. As he did so, he paused slightly, looking at Armitage once more and noticing the smirk on his face.

_Hm. Must have been that Solo boy again._


End file.
